Carlos Ruiz, Panamanian baseball player
Carlos Joaquín Ruiz (born January 22, 1979), nicknamed "Chooch", is a Panamanian former professional baseball catcher. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Philadelphia Phillies, Los Angeles Dodgers, and Seattle Mariners. Ruiz stands 5 ft 10 in (1.78 m) tall, and weighs 215 pounds (98 kg). He bats and throws right-handed.
As a seven-year-old, Ruiz resolved to play in the big leagues after both his father and grandmother died within two weeks of each other. He made his way through the Phillies farm system from 1998 until 2006, playing at each level of Minor League Baseball (MiLB). Ruiz soon fulfilled his childhood dream, making his MLB debut with the 2006 Phillies. He battled adversity in his progression through the system, including feeling homesick, a position change, and the language barrier (he spoke Spanish, while most teammates and team officials spoke English).
Ruiz spent his first full season in MLB with the Philadelphia Phillies in 2007 and remained there until he left the Mariners, electing free agency after the 2017 season. In 2008, for his strong postseason performance, including a walk-off hit, during the Phillies playoff run that concluded with victory in the 2008 World Series, he earned the nickname "Señor Octubre" (Mr. October). Despite being one of the quietest players on the team, Ruiz was subsequently called the "heart and soul" of the Phillies, serving as a constant source of encouragement and rebuke alike to his teammates. Over the following seasons, he was a part of the core group of players that led the Phillies to five consecutive playoff appearances, from 2007 until 2011.
Ruiz had his best season in 2012, holding a batting average of over .300, earning his first appearance in the All-Star Game, and finishing in the top 30 of the NL Most Valuable Player (MVP) voting. In 2013, he began the season with a 25-game suspension for using Adderall, and subsequently spent time on the disabled list, ultimately playing in fewer than 100 games for the first time in his MLB career.
Ruiz is the only player in the history of the NL to catch four no-hitters, and one of only two catchers in all of MLB to do so (the other being Jason Varitek).